1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the vehicle customizing field, and more particularly to the conversion of hardtop vehicles to removable top vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since soft-top convertibles went out of production in the United States in the mid-1970's, there has been a trend in the automotive and recreational sport pickup truck field to removable hardtop vehicles. Even today when the major automotive manufacturers have started production of convertibles again, there remains a demand for convertible vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,876 discloses a method for converting hardtop vehicles to removable top vehicles. The method described in this patent employs scribing molds and special sealing gaskets tailored to a vehicle model for converting the hardtop vehicle into a removable top vehicle. The scribing molds are formed to match the contour of the body of the truck at preselected locations, and are used to precisely locate cutting lines. Once the cutting lines are scribed along the edges of the molds, incisions are made and the cab top removed. When the trimming is completed, all cavities in the top and body exposed as a result of the cutting are filled with a filler foam. A bonding agent is applied to surfaces of the gaskets which will contact the top or the cab and the gaskets are then secured to the severed sections of the top and cab. The top is then positioned on the cab and appropriate positional adjustments made to the inserted gaskets. Latches are provided to latch the top in position.
While the method described in the above-referenced patent has utility, it does suffer several disadvantages. For example, the method appears to be susceptible for use particularly with double-walled vehicles, and it would be difficult to adapt the method to a vehicle having a single-walled roof. Securing the latches to a single wall would result in unsightly bolts, mounting plates or fasteners protruding from the roof line, as well as the loss of structural strength. Moreover, the removable top resulting from the disclosed method appears prone to water leakage from standing water. The sealing results from the meeting of the opposing faces of molded seals on each side of the severed roof sections, and the mating of a lip section of one seal into a channel formed in the opposing seal. For this sealing to be effective, the top and cab section must be fitted together quite accurately and some time consuming custom fitting appears inevitable. A further problem associated with the method of this patent is that it results in a removable top of reduced aerodynamic efficiency, in that the seals apparently protrude from the roof line to some extent.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for converting a hardtop vehicle having a single-wall roof into a removable top vehicle.
It is yet another object of the present invention to convert the hardtop vehicle into a removable top vehicle in such a manner that the aerodynamic efficiency of the hardtop vehicle is substantially retained.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for conversion of hardtop vehicles into removable top vehicles which results in effective water sealing against entrance of water either under dynamic pressure when the vehicle is under way or under static pressure as with standing water.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for conversion which does not require an undue amount of custom grinding and fitting of the removed top and the vehicle body.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a conversion method and apparatus which is amenable to efficient installation techniques.